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Tracie Nichols's avatar

Just this week I started going through older work, following the energy of a collection that seems to be forming. It's interesting how some pieces speak just as clearly now as when they were written.

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Simon Lemon's avatar

I especially love the wolf encounter poem. 'The lords of the woods' line brought such a strong image for me; it conjured the idea of the need for rewilding and allowing animals more freedom to roam. I was wondering whether it might have been inspired by a real event.

I am just starting out with writing, enjoying the way my ideas evolve and shift until the final version solidifies. I think your post encapsulates this process perfectly.

I live in Turkey right now and am largely writing about animal encounters and my reflections on them. Wolves are quite common here and also culturally symbolic. I would be moved to see some in the wild, I just need to figure out a way to do this safely and respectfully, perhaps using a local guide/tracker. Where there's a will there's a way.

Inspiring work, Heidi. Thanks.

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Heidi Barr's avatar

Simon, thanks for the note! The wolf poem was indeed inspired by a real encounter - in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wildnerness of Minnesota.

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Thomas Lloyd Qualls's avatar

"reminded we are not lords of the woods..."

Thanks for these.

We need them now, more than ever.

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Liz Husebye Hartmann's avatar

I agree with you, and also think that's why we're loathe to toss out old work. When we've connected with sacred truths via art & writing, even sketches of current events, we see repeated patterns.

Seems like we need this now, more than ever. Thanks for noting & sharing the ongoing wondertale of life.

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Robert Grandy's avatar

Thanks for sharing Heidi. I'm not a writer, although my daughter is, and anything I may have written in the past is long gone, but I do understand that so called "old" thoughts and ideas can be reused in more current contexts, and you're poems here are a perfect example of that, especially "Sacred Paradox". I love that one.

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